Experience the best Reef Boat in Cairns with Down Under Dive's Great Barrier Reef tour, and travel onboard the most luxurious super-yacht, EVOLUTION, to the Outer Great Barrier Reef.
Experience the best day at the Outer Great Barrier Reef from Cairns. The large modern vessel provides a superior ride to protected reef locations. Discover the magic of the Great Barrier Reef and explore two outer reef sites snorkelling. Down Under Cruise and Dive have selected their outer reef locations based on variety and bottom contours, to provide the best experience for experienced snorkelers, beginners and children of all ages.The outer reef locations, Norman Reef or Saxon Reef, are usually visited in the morning, before making our way to North Hastings Reef in the afternoon to explore this second reef site.
Enjoy snorkelling at both reef sites with all snorkelling equipment and tuition provided or add some adventure to your day with a variety of our optional activities including up to 3 introductory or certified scuba dives, semi-submarine or marine biologist tours and helicopter scenic flights.
You will be treated to a generous full BBQ lunch with prawns, steak, fish and a variety of salad options (special dietaries also catered for), and a complimentary glass of wine with cheese and biscuits on the return journey as you cruise back to Cairns.
ACTIVITIES:
Departure Location: Reef Fleet Terminal Building (1 Spence Street Cairns) at the Down Under Dive check-in counter. You can make your own way there or book transfers.
Transfers: Please arrange with the operator after booking - $23pp from Cairns City and $34pp from Outer City and Northern Beaches and $99pp from Port Douglas (min 2 passengers required).
All prices are shown in AUD ($)
The trip itself was fun and seemed very well organised. Only downside wasn’t much sea life seen accross both spots that we stopped at. Crew could have also made us aware that the reefs had a tidal system as me and my partner both ended up hurting our legs on the reef as the tide went out without us knowing
We recently joined a trip that included the option of a scuba dive. Before making our final decision, we spoke with a crew member on the boat and were told there would be no problem if we decided not to proceed with the dive. However, during the safety briefing we realized the instructions were given in a language we were not comfortable with. Since diving requires clearly understanding all safety procedures, we felt it would be irresponsible to participate without fully understanding the briefing. We therefore chose not to do the dive. Importantly, we did not use the service and our decision did not affect the operation, as other passengers were able to join and pay for the dive on the boat. Unfortunately, despite explaining this situation, the company refused to refund the AUD 65 per person (AUD 130 total) that we paid for the dive. While the trip itself was enjoyable, this experience was disappointing. In our view, charging for a service that was not used—especially when the decision was based on safety and after being told there would be no issue canceling—is not a fair outcome for customers.
One of the best experiences we had in our Australia trip! Unfortunately the actual snorkel time felt like it passed way too quickly. The food was good and plentyful, the toilets were surprisingly clean.
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rachelh48 from Australia wrote on 01 May 2026
What a well organised company
Staff were exceptional, friendly, professional, and clearly very well organised. The whole experience felt well run, and the team were always willing to help, which made a big difference. The only downside had nothing to do with the company, but it’s important to mention, the wind conditions. I’d strongly recommend checking wind forecasts carefully and planning your reef trip around calmer days if possible. We experienced very large waves, and many people on board became quite unwell. At times, it felt unsafe to move around the boat while travelling to the reef, which made that part of the trip quite unpleasant. That said, the two reef stops were absolutely amazing. The reef itself is stunning, although conditions were still quite rough with strong currents, so you do need to be mindful of how quickly you can drift. The food was also fantastic. Overall, despite the challenging conditions, I would highly recommend this experience just be mindful of the weather and plan accordingly